Nothing Compares Like DVD Beaver POP/ROCK Katharine Mcphee, “Katharine Mcphee” (RCA) She Is Over the Rainbow
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[ C M Y K ] F4 Sunday, February 4, 2007 MET F4 • ARTS • STAR TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2007 TUESDAY IN SOURCE sight+ sound More DVD and CD coverage on our Media page. C D REVIEWS Nothing compares like DVD Beaver POP/ROCK Katharine McPhee, “Katharine McPhee” (RCA) She is over the rainbow. In fact, she even has a song on her debut CD titled “Over It.” Fans of 2006’s “American Idol” runner-up may be surprised at the 6 Website helps sort out UPGRADE OR NOT? sexed-up, urbanized siren programmed to do battle confusion of re-releases by Here are five recently re- with Ciara and Beyoncé. Her handlers meticulously offering detailed head-to- leased DVDs available in calculated everything here to appeal to the widest head reviews. previous editions, and DVD possible range of listeners and formats, from hip-hop Beaver’s evaluation of which to pop to R&B to adult contemporary. Sometimes it version is best: works, such as on “Love Story,” featuring McPhee’s ON DVD RANDY A. SALAS “Casablanca” Warner’s new trademark “ooh-oohs.” And sometimes it doesn’t, high-def version ($29) sports such as on “Open Toes,” a hip-hop ode to shoe shop- Reissues on DVD “the best black and white ping. “Do What You Do” has somewhat more street seem as common DVD image … seen to date,” credibility, fitting in easily on R&B stations or BET. these days as new easily besting the standard “Not Ur Girl” is the closest to a mainstream pop song releases: two-disc special edition. for the teeny-bopper audience, with a catchy melody “Brokeback “The Silence of the Lambs” over a standard rock beat. But it’s on the power bal- Mountain” is back as a two-disc MGM’s new two-disc set lads “Home” and “Ordinary World” that McPhee set less than nine months after its ($27) is “a complete and pro- shows she really can sing, with a voice that is at once first appearance on DVD. A new fessional package” compared sultry and breathy in the lower registers, and strong special edition of “The Silence of with the old MGM and Cri- when it needs to be in the higher ranges. 5311 the Lambs” represents the third terion discs, even if it doesn’t WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press incarnation of that Oscar win- have the outstanding com- ner on DVD. Even foreign films, mentary of the latter. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, “Some Loud Thunder” such as Akira Kirosawa’s samurai This band is so insistently indie rock that it releases films “Yojimbo” and “Sanjuro,” its own discs on a label with no name. Even more have been re-released recently. indie is the way its music shuns ingratiation. Where Casual viewers might go to the FILE mainstream rock offers its pleasures upfront, indie store or their Netflix queue and “The Silence of the Lambs,” starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, puts up obstacles — eccentricities, obscurities, clut- grab whatever version of a DVD was recently released for the third time on DVD. ter, noise — to deter all but diehards. Perhaps that’s is available without further con- why the first and title song of “Some Loud Thunder” sideration. But aficionados close- Toronto-area resident who chips is distorted to become nearly unlistenable. This ly follow news of re-releases with OUT TUESDAY away full time at DVD Beaver. is the band’s second album, following a self-titled one constant thought: Should I “Flags of Our Fathers,” Comparisons include large- 2005 debut lauded by newly influential, indie-er- upgrade? “Charmed” (Season 7), “Eddie screen captures to help compare Toshiro Mifune stars in Akiro than-thou music blogs. The questions for the sequel Enter DVD Beaver Murphy: Delirious,” “Holly- image quality; menu screens and Kurasawa’s “Yojimbo.” were whether this five-member band could move (www.dvdbeaver.com), a woodland,” “Cinderella III,” even bitrate graphs that show beyond its obvious sources — folk-rock, New Order Canadian website that seeks to “Flicka,” “Mad About You” how much compression was “Yojimbo”/“Sanjuro” Cri- and mostly Talking Heads — and whether Alec answer that question “for the (Season 3), “Running With used to author a disc. (A higher terion has taken two of its Ounsworth’s scrawny yammer of a voice would discerning cinema fan.” Scissors,” “A Summer Place,” bitrate generally translates to a worst DVDs and given them stay tolerable. It eventually does. “Satan Said Dance” DVD Beaver focuses on what “The Science of Sleep,” “Cross- better picture.) thorough makeovers in their pulsates and blips like 1970s German rock; “Goodbye it calls eclectic fare. While that ing Delancey,” “The Grudge Foreign releases of a film on new reissues ($70 set; $40 to Mother and the Cove” builds like a scene from a might be difficult to define, you 2,” “The Last Unicorn” (special DVD are often included in com- each). Philip Glass opera. Ounsworth ponders everything won’t see it covering the latest edition). parisons, in keeping with DVD “Brokeback Mountain” from his insecurities to America’s image in the Adam Sandler film or action Beaver’s advocating that cine- Universal’s new two-disc world. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah demands a new, blockbuster. Yo u will find recent philes buy a multi region player collector’s edition ($27) offers irksome level of indulgence here but finds a new award winners, classic movies and retailer links that many oth- to be able to watch DVDs from minimal additions for more richness in the songs it doesn’t sabotage. 5312 and many foreign films. er sites have, DVD Beaver offers around the world. Along with money. “The original DVD JON PARELES, New York Times “When I was quite young, my thorough comparisons of many all of the technical specs come gives a more-than-worthy father would rent 35-millimeter DVDs that are available in two or short reviews that make a final presentation — stick with To hear samples, phone 612-673-9050 and press the four-digit reels and a projector from the lo- more versions. determination of which release that and save some dough.” number listed. cal library for us to see films at “It extends beyond such things is best. “The Double Life of Vero- home,” site founder Gary Tooze as the best image and sound — DVD Beaver doesn’t have nique” The new two-disc Cri- TUESDAY’S RELEASES explained. “It was a pretty cool whether optional subtitles are comparisons of every DVD re- terion Collection set ($40) is Apples in Stereo, “New Magnetic Wonder”; Bloc experience — certainly the pre- offered, if one print is censored release. But for the ones it does “the definitive version” com- Party, “Weekend in the City”; Belinda Carlisle, “Voi- cursor of DVD and home the- or incomplete, offering the film cover, the site is a valuable re- pared with two European la”; Cat Empire, “Two Shoes”; Fall Out Boy, “Infinity ater. I’ve always been passionate in its intended aspect ratio, val- source for serious film fans. discs. on High”; Ruthie Foster, “The Phenomenal Ruthie about film.” ued supplements; details such as RANDY A. SALAS Foster”; Patty Griffin, “Children Running Through”; Besides the typical reviews that,” said Tooze, a 44-year-old [email protected] • 612-673-4542 Jordan Pruitt, “No Ordinary Girl”; Tierney Sutton, “On the Other Side”; Ashley Tisdale, “Headstrong.” E n t e r o ur Calling Valent ine’ s Day c ont e st a t A ll triplees p r e sso.c om Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir C omedy Olde Tyme Gospel Concert Robert Robinson and the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir L o v e rs! will bring over 100 voices to the stage to present a soulfully K ids (17 a nd under )ha lf off e v e ry S u nda y ! MUSIC BOX THEATRE inspired and energetic Old Tyme T i c kets a l s o a v a ilable a t S t a t e T hea tre ,Ti c ket m a ste r locat ions & 14t h a nd N i c ollet Gospel concert. The Concert will T i c ket m a ste r . c om. C h a r ge b y ph: 61 2 - 673- 0 4 0 4. 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